This invention relates to a cyclone separator. It relates more particularly to a hydrocyclone for separating immiscible fluids, e.g. oil and water, and removing suspended solids.
In heavy oil production, it is commonplace for fluids produced at the well head to contain in excess of 70 percent by volume of water, as well as varying amounts of suspended solids. In order to transport and process the oil and safely dispose of or recycle the water, it is necessary to separate these components in an efficient manner.
A variety of different cyclone separators have been developed for this purpose. For instance, Thew et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,288 describes a cyclone separator for removing oil from water having a first cylindrical section followed by a pair of converging funnel shaped sections. The oil is removed through an overflow outlet at a closed end of the cylindrical section, while the water travels down the funnel shaped sections.
Kuryluk U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,574 describes a separator for separating materials of different specific gravities, including materials of non-uniform size. That system employs a rotating agitator as a primary means of imparting rotational energy to the materials being processed. It also depends on separate injection of water and separate chambers for mixing and dilution.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a hydrocyclone which provides improved separation of oil and water, while also being capable of removing solids.